Claims administrators have an invaluable opportunity to help future pharmacists understand the challenges regarding prescription drug use for occupational injuries. A pharmacist intern program, like the one we offer at Sedgwick, can provide ex…
In recent years, some innovative healthcare leaders and organizations have developed and implemented formal communication and resolution programs (CRPs) that, when combined with advances in patient safety, exemplify fairness and build trust. The inte…
Sedgwick supports Healthcare Risk Management Week June 19-23 Sedgwick’s healthcare risk management team works alongside healthcare risk managers to reduce risks and improve safety by delivering cost-effective claims, productivity, managed care…
Today, leading-edge organizations systematically share internal control knowledge across their organization, departments and functions to promote best practices and to minimize loss. Healthcare organizations, especially larger systems with multiple…
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major threat to patient safety. They can be serious and even deadly to the patient, yet they are often preventable. According to the World Health Organization, HAIs are the most frequent adverse event i…
As healthcare delivery in the U.S. undergoes profound change from volume-based to value-based, patient-centered and more transparent care, there is increasing emphasis on quality and safety. In moving toward a culture of safety, leaders and policym…
OSHA offers suggestions for preventing workplace assaults in healthcare settings. (image courtesy of OSHA.gov) Despite several unfortunate and tragic instances in the news recently, workplace violence rates as a whole have been declining. Accordin…
Healthcare risk managers have the opportunity to engage leaders from across their organizations to think more broadly about maximizing value protection and managing risk that comes with uncertainty through the application of an enterprise risk mana…
During hospital and healthcare facility risk assessments around the country, we often hear nurses’ feedback about staffing challenges and heavy workloads. Is this perception or is it a reality that nurse staffing levels are impacting safety? News …
Fall prevention has been one of the most challenging issues facing providers of healthcare for as long as, well, for as long as there have been providers of healthcare. Not only do falls have serious impacts on patients, but healthcare facilities …
Managing drug samples in a physician’s office or ambulatory care clinic requires a system of checks and balances to help prevent medication errors and adverse drug events, establish a tracking system for alerts and recalls to comply with federal la…
Emergency Department (ED) staff members have all felt the anxiety of a potential missed diagnosis. For those who have actually witnessed a missed chance, it is not hard to understand how agonizing it would be to realize the missing piece of informa…
The recent appearance of Ebola in the United States has given rise to claims concerns at multiple levels for hospitals and other healthcare providers. The first U.S. case of Ebola came after a traveler from West Africa reportedly arrived without sy…
I write this reflecting on the flurry of news around recent Ebola activity. There isn’t one of us in the healthcare risk management profession who wants our organization to be the subject of unfavorable news headlines, and it’s important to take le…
The rate at which hospitals and health systems are acquiring physician practices and hiring physicians from private practice continues to increase steadily. In the 2012 annual report published by Merritt Hawkins, it is reported that solo practices …